Luck or misfortune? Tragic stories of lottery winners

The lottery is a universe filled with dreams and aspirations. Winning millions in a single draw and seeing your life change overnight seems like a fairy tale, doesn't it? However, this story doesn't always end happily ever after.

Even after winning fortunes, many lottery jackpot laureates faced financial, familial, legal, and even health problems following their big win. What seemed to be a blessing quickly turned into a curse. This article tells some real-life stories of people who hit the lottery jackpot and, to their surprise, regretted it later. Read on!

Jack Whittaker: The Businessman Who Lost Everything

In 2002, the largest Powerball jackpot at that time went to Jack Whittaker, who collected $315 million (about R$1.7 billion). He was a successful businessman from West Virginia, USA, and decided to donate part of the money to charities and his church. However, his life turned into a nightmare after the prize. He was sued multiple times for debts, thefts, and frauds. He also got involved in fights, drinking, and gambling. His wife filed for divorce, and his granddaughter died of an overdose. In 2016, he declared bankruptcy and said he would rather have never won the lottery.

William Post III: The Man Who Was Murdered by His Brother

William Post III's story started off as one of the most inspiring lottery winner stories. He was a former dishwasher living off social benefits in Pennsylvania, USA. In 1988, he spent $40 (about R$215) on state lottery tickets and hit the jackpot of $16.2 million (about R$87 million). He decided to buy a house, a car, a restaurant, and a plane. However, he also made bad investments, lent money to relatives and friends, and was sued by his ex-wife, who demanded half the prize. In less than a year, he was bankrupt and in debt. To make matters worse, his brother hired a hitman to kill him and take the money. He survived the attack but died in 2006 in a nursing home.

Otaviano de Sales Gama: The Mason Who Was Kidnapped

Otaviano de Sales Gama, a 44-year-old mason, saw his life change after hitting the Mega-Sena jackpot. In 2007, he won a prize of R$7.8 million. He decided to buy a new house, an imported car, and a farm in the interior of Rio Grande do Norte. He also helped his relatives and friends with part of the money. However, he didn't count on criminals' greed. In 2010, he was kidnapped by a gang that demanded R$2 million for his ransom. He was held captive for 19 days until he was released by the police. After that, he moved to another state and said he would never play the lottery again.

Margaret Loughrey: The Woman Who Became Depressed

Margaret Loughrey, from Northern Ireland, won R$115 million in 2013 in the EuroMillions lottery. She was unemployed and living on just R$40 per week. She decided to donate half of the prize to social causes and her hometown. She also bought a mansion, luxury cars, and designer clothes. However, she couldn't adapt to her new life and felt lonely and unhappy. She fell into depression and attempted suicide several times. She also got involved in fights with neighbors, friends, and relatives. In 2019, she died at the age of 56 in her home, leaving no heirs.

Frane Selak: The Man Who Survived Seven Accidents and Won the Lottery

Frane Selak is considered the luckiest unlucky man in the world. Between 1962 and 1966, he survived a train accident, a plane crash, a pedestrian accident, two explosions in the cars he was driving, being run over by a bus, and an accident where his car plunged off a cliff. In 2003, seven years after his last accident and at 81 years of age, he won £600,000 in the lottery, equivalent to R$4.2 million. He decided to marry his fifth wife and buy a house in the country. He also donated part of the money to friends and relatives. He said he finally found happiness and no longer needed money. In 2010, he returned his winning ticket to the lottery and said he wanted to live a simple life.

Becoming a millionaire overnight may seem like a dream, but the stories above remind us that caution and planning are necessary. Great fortunes can bring happiness or problems - it depends on what you do with them.